Zim EFF warns Mnangagwa over white farmers compensation

HARARE- President Emmerson Mnangagwa led Government has come under fire from Zimbabwe Economic Freedom Fighters (Zim EFF) following the announcement that state will compensate white farmers who were displaced in the land reform.

In a statement, Zim EFF said it is ‘‘dismayed by government’s decision to compensate white farmers for the land that was lawfully and rightfully repossessed under land redistribution programme’

The statement says the move is ‘a betrayal of the struggle for economic freedom’’

“The move by government in considering paying compensation

to white farmers for the land they illegally acquired when their forefathers brutally, murdered our people and stole their land. We assert that the land belongs to the indigenous people of Zimbabwe. Indigenous people of Zimbabwe must enjoy economic, social and spiritual benefit that the land brings to them. Prior to independence and thereafter, white farmers – of European ancestry, enjoyed and continued to enjoy superior political and economic status brought about by the proceeds of

their forefathers; theft of our land. We have long memories – we know that between 1890 and 1896 for example, the British South Africa Company granted approximately 16 million

acres of our land to the European settlers – this land was given to those men of European Ancestry willing to take up arms and defend the colony against the indigenous people’s Chimurenga. We know that the settlers of the Pioneer Column were granted large tracks of land each with an option to purchase more land from the British South Africa Company,’ says the statement released Thursday.

It adds that the land belonged to our people.

‘‘The settlers took the land from

our people using the power of the gun. Our people were massacred in cold blood by the European settlers. Today, we are utterly dismayed to learn that the Zimbabwe Government (under President ED) has decided to take wealth from the poor indigenous people of Zimbabwe to give to the descendants of the European settlers.

Zim EFF charges that the war by late Joshua Nkomo, Robert Mugabe among others was not only about the attainment of political freedom but was about the attainment of economic freedom, equality and dignity of the indigenous people.

“Reversing the gains of our hard-fought independence is a treasonous betrayal of the people and a shameful way of surrendering our sovereignty. Compulsory acquisition of land

was a fair policy designed to address the wrongs of the past. President Mnangagwa and his incompetent government are reversing the gains that our people have fought so hard for.

Zim EFF strongly condemns this blatant act of betrayal. It is the indigenous people of Zimbabwe who need to be compensated for the loss they suffered for all those years their land had been stolen, their resources had been plundered, dignity trodden and suffering humiliation for several years in the hands of European settlers.

‘‘We call upon the government of Zimbabwe to STOP IT at once and forever this idea of compensating white farmers. The Government of Zimbabwe must improve healthcare, education services that collapsed. Economy and national infrastructure needs revamping, while hardworking workers needs to be paid decent wages so it is unbelievable that the government chooses to prioritise giving white farmers millions of dollars of compensation for the land their forefathers stole from our people. We

stand resolutely opposed to this insensitive, careless and clueless decision. We call upon the war veterans to join us to resist this government policy which seeks to reverse the hard-won gains by our people. We call upon all Zimbabweans to resist this reckless government policy” read part of the statement .

Mnangagwa’s administration has made significant progress in its efforts to compensate former white  farmers who were displaced in the land reform programme with Finance minister Mthuli Ncube setting aside a proposed figure of $53 million for the compensations.